Living in New York City means having abundant forms of cultural experiences at your fingertips, from Nordic dancing to Asian art. One such cultural experience, Brits Off Broadway, is happening right up the block at 59 East 59th Street at 59E59 Theaters. The annual Brits Off Broadway festival, entering its eighth year, was founded by Elysabeth Kleinhans (President and Artistic Director of 59E59) and Peter Tear (Executive Producer), for the purpose of introducing quality theatre well-known in the UK to American audiences.
Ms. Kleinhans and Mr. Tear personally select all the plays showcased at the festival. Every year they travel to Edinburgh to attend the annual Edinburgh Festival Fringe—the largest and one of the most diverse arts festivals in the world. While about thirty to sixty percent of the plays that Ms. Kleinhans and Mr. Tear select originate at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, others originate in London and in regional theatres across the United Kingdom. This year is unique in that a majority of the eight plays selected did not originate in Edinburgh—although they did perform there-but in marginal and mainstream UK regional theatres. Additionally, 59E59 is particularly proud that one of its plays in this year’s lineup, The Boat Factory, is from Northern Ireland, thereby granting a more comprehensive view of UK theatre to American audiences.
The number of plays selected for the Brits Off Broadway festival varies from year to year, with eight being chosen this year: Good with People, Bullet Catch, Bull, The Girl I Left Behind Me, Cornelius, Botallack O’Clock, The Boat Factory, and Dirty Great Love Story. Two of the plays, Good with People and Bullet Catch, are Scottish and hold a unique position in the festival’s line-up: they are associated with both the Brits Off Broadway festival and international Scotland Week. Scotland Week, an event that occurs annually in early April and is partly sponsored by the Scottish government, celebrates all things Scottish and seeks to encourage an overall interest in the country. Thus, due to the timing of Scotland Week, the two Scottish plays serve as the unofficial launch of the Brits Off Broadway festival, a separate event from international Scotland Week. 59E59 Theaters, however, is the only theatre in NYC that hosts theatre officially affiliated with Scotland Week; you can enjoy two events at once!
The Brits Off Broadway festival currently runs from March 27 – June 30, 2013 at 59E59 Theaters, conveniently located for most Stern College for Women students. As the 59E59 websites states, student rush tickets are available “in-person at the box office beginning at one hour prior to show time. Present your current student ID at the box office to purchase tickets for $10 – $20 each. All Student Rush tickets are subject to availability and may not be offered for all performances.” If, however, you want to be guaranteed a seat, 59E59 does have a Sunday night special, $15- $30, for Good with People, Bullet Catch, The Boat Factory, and Dirty Great Love Story. And if you can’t attend on a Sunday night, regular tickets for most of the shows are at between $25-$35. For more information visit http://britsoffbroadway.com.